Patterson Holds Weekly PresserTCU is at Kansas State on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Gary Patterson

Nov. 12, 2013

FORT WORTH, Texas -- TCU football coach Gary Patterson held his weekly news conference Tuesday in the Four Sevens Team Room.

The Horned Frogs are at Kansas State on Saturday in a 2:30 p.m. game televised on FOX Sports Net.

Included below are excerpts from Patterson's meeting with the media.

Opening Statement ...
"We're into the third phase of our one-game seasons. The story is about the same. We have to go on the road and play at a tough place against a team that is also working to be bowl eligible."

On how many tickets, as a K-State graduate, he'll have to leave at will call ...
"A couple. I know a few people in Kansas. As a general rule, there will not be anybody yelling for me for three hours. That's okay. That's the way you're supposed to do it."

On whether this game has special significance ...
"This is the first time I'll be back in 30 years. I don't think I'll have time to worry about it, except for probably standing before the game and maybe after the game. It's been a long time since I was on that field. Coach (Bill) Snyder has done a great job, and there have been a lot of good coaches and good players who have come through since then."

On the job Bill Snyder has done to transform K-State ...
"There is not even a comparison from where it was to what Coach Snyder has done. It extends to the facilities and Manhattan, Kan., in general. I think it has been voted one of the top places to live. The city and university are really growing. There are just a lot of positive things going on there. They have also been playing good football."

On what K-State has done in winning its last three games ...
"They're playing with a lot more confidence. They are going to run the football and grind at you. You have to be able to handle a three-hour middle drill, both offense and defense. They will then play-action pass. They don't get enough credit but if you look at them on offense, they actually throw the ball for more yardage than they run it. You need to understand that you have to get ready to hit people in the mouth, because that is the way Kansas State plays. They are going to be very physical, and then you need to make plays. Defensively, they're not going to beat themselves. They're going to come after you. (Defensive end Ryan) Mueller leads the nation in sacks, so you have to get ready to play."

On his team's reaction after the win at Iowa State ...
"They fought back. They also fought back in the Oklahoma game and to tie the West Virginia game. When you look through the season, they have continued to fight back and were finally rewarded at Iowa State. In other games, we have done something to stop ourselves. In this ballgame, we didn't. We got the stops and score that we needed. Iowa State is a tough place to play, especially without a Jason Verrett, B.J. Catalon, Waymon James and Devonte Fields. That is a hard place to win when you take all those people with you. You then go with Deante' Gray, a guy who had never played corner and he plays the whole game without giving up a pass."

On whether the TCU wide receivers have improved the last two games ...
"I think it has to do with Casey (Pachall) giving us a spark at quarterback. We've still dropped some balls. We dropped balls Saturday, but we had some great catches. The two vertical routes going to LaDarius Brown and Brandon Carter were both great plays. Not many people could make the play that Brandon made."

On whether this season has similarities to other years TCU fought for a bowl bid ...
"Yes, with injuries. In 2004, we also lost five defensive linemen to graduation. In 2001, you had 10 new starters on offense because you lost so many guys from the 2000 season. It is very comparable. We are kind of in the same situation where we sat that year, trying to be bowl eligible and we have to beat two teams who are playing the best in the league right now in Kansas State and Baylor."